Page 53 of Living Without

“Of course. I may be in a food coma from all the pizza and ribs, but I still have, and will always have, room for triple chocolate fudge ice cream.” I slipped my arm through hers and tugged her towards the hall, knowing the men would follow.

“Darlin’?” Gypsy called. When we turned together, he added with eyes only for Kelsey, “Gotta make a call. Be back in a sec’.”

“Okay,” Kelsey whispered.

My eyes moved to Saxon to see he had a frown on his lips and hard narrowed eyes to the floor. He wasn’t happy about something, yet when he looked up, he sent me a chin lift and a small smile. He was protecting me, no doubt concerned if I saw he was worried, I’d worry also. The idiot man didn’t understand I would always worry if he was, because my heart was his, his life was mine. Anything he went through, I would as well.

Chapter Nineteen

SAXON

My eyes were on the ground as I followed the women down the hall to my bedroom. My thoughts were somewhere else though. They were on what Gypsy had just told me. He’d decided it was time to head home in the next few days. It’d be a fuckin’ sad day to see him go, but I understood. He had his own business to take care of. He was a good, honourable brother, and I was goddamn glad I got to meet him. Hell, I was even glad we owed a favour to his president because what they did for us deserved us repaying them in some way.

However, his other words had caused my stomach to twist in worry. Gypsy was gonna see if his prez was down with it first, and if Mason was, Gypsy was gonna put the idea out to Kelsey, to see if she wanted to go back with him. He’d hoped a change of scenery would help her come out of her shell more. What worried me the most and had my stomach tightenin’ even more, was thinkin’ on how Nary would feel if Kelsey left. It could set Nary back, and there was a high chance Kelsey would leave, ’cause she fuckin’ adored Gypsy, even if she was hesitant with him. The concern my woman had for her girl helped Nary. It kept her distracted from the hell she’d gone through. Since she’d been back, she hadn’t cried or let her emotions out, except that first night. Even when she woke screaming some nights, she didn’t tear up. She’d check Kelsey and settle her, and then she’d lie back down and eventually drift back to sleep.

Without Kelsey around, I could only fuckin’ hope I’d be enough to keep Nary in the light.

Our talk was coming soon. I’d been puttin’ it off for the right moment, but fuck, there was never a right moment with what I had to say. I needed my woman to understand I’d be there for her always. Even after I shared my shit, I’d still make sure I wouldn’t be far. I’d always protect her.

Goddam, I hoped I was enough for my angel.

* * * *

MASON

(Rebel Wayfarers: written by MariaLisa deMora)

The phone woke Mason, and he twisted on the mattress, swiftly silencing the ringer. Willa stirred beside him as he rolled out of bed, thumb already sliding on the screen. Once in the hallway, he spoke, “Yeah?” He hadn’t even looked at the number, knowing a call coming in at that time of day had to be important.

Stalking through the house, he glanced into Garrett’s room, seeing his son sleeping, arms flung wide, covers rumpled. Gypsy spoke into his ear, pulling Mason’s attention away from his boy, the no-nonsense tone putting Mason on high alert. “Need your input, boss.”

“You got it,” Mason said, making his way to the kitchen. He flicked on the light over the sink, leaving the rest of the room in shadows.

“You know why I was here, know what was going on.” Not a question, because Mason did. He was the one who had sent Gypsy to Australia in the first place, hand-picked as a solution for the problem. He waited, knowing Gypsy didn’t need any prompting to keep going. “You know who I am, Mason. The kind of man I am.” Gypsy sucked in a breath, his reticence at odds with the need in his voice. “Need to ask what you think.”

“Think about what, fucker? Spit it out.” Chill air bit across his bare shoulders, and Mason was ready to crawl back into bed beside his wife, not stand on the cold tile of his kitchen floor listening to one of his men floundering around an ask.

“The gal, the one we scooped up along with Nary.” The tone of Gypsy’s voice changed, became filled with gravel. “Kelsey. She… she’s come to trust me, boss. She doesn’t have anyone here. No one except Nary, and that girl has to get on with her life. Kelsey would be… not in the way, because Nary would never make it that way, but they’re stuck. Saw it clear today, because I saw a little glimmer of what they could be, what they will be when they move on. Mason.” He heaved a sigh. “I gotta come home, but I can’t see myself leaving her behind. I want… no, I need to bring her with me.”

Curious, Mason asked, “What the hell are you asking, Gypsy?”

“I bring her with me, she’s mine. I’ll make it so she don’t have to leave. Not talking a visa, boss. Talking she’d be in my life. Which means she becomes mine. Some of that’ll be her choice, of course. Woman like her, one who had so much stripped from her, anything more than on paper has to be her choice. But fuck, Mason, she’s mine, and that means she’s Rebel. I’ll take her any way she gives herself to me. Gonna take resources to get her… home.” Gypsy paused, and Mason waited. “I’m bringing her, just needed you to know.”

“Those words are more telling and less asking, in case you wondered,” Mason joked. “She matters to you, then bring her. We got enough old ladies to help her get settled.”

“Can you… do you think Willa’d be able to pick up some things for my house?” Tentative now, Gypsy sounded like he wasn’t as sure about this one.

“You askin’ if my woman would be willing to go shopping? Brother, you cannot be serious.” Mason snorted a laugh. “That’s like asking if she needs to keep breathing. Email what you want her to get, she… we’ll make sure you have everything, brother. This woman means something to you?”

“Yes.” The answer came quickly, a firm affirmative.

“Then she already means something to me. Got your back, man.” Mason grinned at the doorway, seeing Willa’s shadow as she made her way towards him. “Fate, brother. Tricky bitch, yeah?”

“What?” Gypsy sounded like he was on the move, probably to go find Kelsey and talk her into a change of hemispheres.

“You had to go clear around the world to find your woman.”

* * * *

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